fianchetto!

Ever Saturday morning through the early afternoon in my neighborhood coffee shop, while I take advantage of free wifi and bottomless cups of coffee, Worthington's young and old gather to play chess. I love it.



This photo was snapped long after most of the crowd dissipated, but you get the idea.

Similarly, one evening each week, a dozen or so gente gather here to practice their Italian and sip cappuccinos.

I wish there were more things like that back home in Youngstown. Developing sense of community is so vital in reviving our city. Informal gatherings like these are such an easy way to cultivate it, too. Maybe we can all get together for a little Scrabble the next time I'm home...

bad blogger

I'm a bad blogger. It's been a month since I've updated. I don't know how these other bloggers do it. At any rate, guilt has got the best of me so here a tiny update until this weekend when I tackle the mountain of information I've collected for you. (I apologize for the errors in grammar and spelling and typos, etc. I am blogging via phone on the bus in to work)

Last week the Ohio Departmentof Natural Resources released the receipients of their spring litter clean up grants. Mahoning County organizations(including the city of Youngstown) received 6 grants out of the 50 total awarded. Each organization received the full amount requested. The only county that received mre grants was Columiana with 7. The Valley is gonna get her clean on.

The local clean up efforts that these grants fund are required to take place in April and May and must involve the work of volunteers. Does anyone have the dates or details of these local projects?